CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Outdoor activities were restricted at schools in Kanawha County Friday after a threat on Instagram against the county’s eight high schools in connection with clowns.
Several students brought the post to the attention of school security officials, Kanawha County Schools Director of Security Keith Vititoe said.
“The title of the post was ‘ain’t clowning around’ and in the post it actually threatened all of our high schools. Since they did that, in light of recent events across the country, we chose to go ahead and restrict outdoor activities just as a precaution.”
The restriction was not considered a true lockdown because parents and others could continue to go to and from the schools. Regular business was allow to occur.
People dressed as clowns threatening residents have been spotted in several states in recent weeks. There have been sightings in a couple areas of West Virginia including Fayette County. All of that information played into the Kanawha County decision Friday, Vititoe said.
The clown sightings seem to be spreading in other states, which Vititoe said isn’t surprising.
“Anarchy is contagious. When something gets started sometimes it starts to snowball and get bigger and bigger,” he said. “It’s one of those things you can do and stay anonymous and terrorize people.”
Vititoe has been following the clown situation for several weeks. He updated school principals on the situation earlier this week.